Bus

Next phase of D.C. rail line receives $1.28B loan

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) was awarded a $1.28 billion Transportation Infrastructure Financial Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan to for construction of Phase Two of the Metrorail Silver Line extension.

Work will begin at the Wiehle Avenue Station, where Phase One work ended, and includes construction of 11.4 miles of track from Wiehle Avenue to Route 772 in eastern Loudoun County. Six new stations will also be constructed along the way — Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Route 606 and Route 772, and a new Service and Inspection Yard at Dulles International.

“The first phase of the Silver Line has been an overwhelming success, and we look forward to ensuring the second half is just as successful, with the help of this $1.28 billion loan from the federal government,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “When complete, the Silver Line will help residents and visitors get where they need to go safely, quickly and affordably."

The Silver Line is being constructed by MWAA and operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro). The new line is expected to serve approximately 85,700 daily riders by 2030.

Secretary Foxx joined other U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) officials along with state and local elected leaders last month to celebrate the opening of the first phase of the Silver Line, which represented the largest expansion of Metrorail service in 20 years.

The first phase extended Metrorail service from the East Falls Church Metrorail station through the large Tysons Corner employment and retail center to the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail station in the Reston area of Fairfax County. Metro announced that during its first week of service alone, nearly 220,000 trips were taken.

The TIFIA credit program is designed to fill market gaps and leverage substantial non-federal investments. Each dollar of federal funding can provide up to $10 in TIFIA credit assistance and support up to $30 in transportation infrastructure investment.

Since its launch, the TIFIA program has helped 46 projects turn almost $18.5 billion in U.S. DOT assistance into more than $69.5 billion in infrastructure investment across America.